“Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them”
Are you one of among millions of fans of Whitney Houston? Well…I don’t claim myself as being one though I do enjoy some of her songs. I used to listen to some of her greatest hits especially “I Will Always Love You” which I consider one of her most ultimate vocal performances of all time. She stands among few singers in music history who possesses powerful voice and has the ability to move an audience with her voice and songs. She had acquired tremendous successful career in singing as well as acting during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. She has collected six Grammys and more than 400 other awards in her 25-year career. It’s like a Cinderella story with a happily ever after ending. She’s got beauty, talent, golden voice, fame and wealth. Many may wish for the money and fame of such pop star, thinking these things would mean a happier life. Who wouldn’t want money in today's crazy world where money is valued above all by many :-). Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way sometimes. “Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them”, once Leo Tolstoy had said.
Whitney Houston’s once brilliant career and life turned ugly as drugs and alcohol ravaged her. A combination of her troubled marriage to Bobby Brown, drugs, alcohol, and depression wrecked her career and life in general. On an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer in 2002, the diva said "The biggest devil is me. I’m either my best friend or my worst enemy". It seems that she had failed to reconcile herself with the enemy within. In the end, fame and wealth was unable to offer her happiness. The once confident and charismatic Whitney Houston waned into a sad shell. Drugs and depression had consumed her vital energy that finally claimed her life. The shocking news of Houston’s untimely death in her hotel room last Saturday at the age of 48 has taken public by surprise. She failed to battle the devil within.
Sadly, a story like Houston’s is familiar in the glamour of music industry. Chaka Khan said that “music industry is demonic.” The pressure and tension is just too much sometimes. There are countless superstars around the world including in Indonesia are in constant warring with drug and alcohol on daily basis. Many are in and out of rehab facilities. Elvis Presley died at 42 after years of drug abuse. Marilyn Monroe died at the age of 36 after an overdose of barbiturates. Kurt Cobain's drug addiction has supposedly led him to commit a suicide. Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan are recent young artists who get entangled with drug and alcohol addiction. In Indonesia, numerous celebrities suffer similar struggle. Some are jailed for drugs abuse such as Roy Marten, Yoyo Padi, Ahmad Albar, among others. Some are battling and win like the late Gito Rollies. Some are losing and surrender their life for it like the late beautiful Alda. Why would they waste all their brilliant career and life for drugs or alcohol? are they not happy?
Well, we do not for sure what drive those people to use drugs and alcohol. Perhaps, the pressure and tension they endure that steer their erratic behaviors. Perhaps, they need them to boost more power temporarily until they get trapped and unble to break free. Some, maybe, consume the demonic subtances in an attempt to mask their fears and problems, falsely believing that the substances offer safety and security. There are many reasons and excuses to answer of the 'why' questions. But, I think we all agree on one common ground that whatever choice they take in life, they hold responsible for the consequences. We write our own destiny and no one is to blame on any consequences resulted from our own choice.
Lesson learnt from this tragic reality is no amount of fame of fortune or money could bring happiness if you are not happy inside. For example, I think I will be happy if I could get back in my old workplace to have normal working hours, less tension and stress. That's what I think the kind of thing that will make me happy. But such feeling is only temporary. If I ever obtain such position again, who could say that I would be happy and content. It's a state of mind to think that happiness will come to our way once we get what we want. The same case applies to all the buzz with promotion and mutation at work. Sometimes, you get transferred into a workplace you despise, or sometimes you don't get the promotion you are after for. Then, you start to think "Oh, God, this isn't fair", and see happiness vanish from your life. Well, cursing will not help. Sometimes, we do not always get what we want in life. We all live under the same sky, but we don’t all have the same horizon. The best thing you can do is exploit the best things of anything and be grateful on what you have... trying to see everything in their bigger picture :-)... trying to find the beautiful golden strands in every line :-)
It is the nature of men to always want more than what we already have. Once, we get what we wish for, we start to desire other things in mind to satisfy our needs. So long as we don't enjoy and feel content on the things we have, we will never be happy. True happiness can only come from inside us, when each of us decides internally that we are happy. It’s a bit cliché but it mirrors truth. Neither a single person nor a single drug could offer you real happiness when inside you are unhappy. Be grateful and content on what you have now...then we perhaps may find happiness...do our best and let God do the rest :-)
So, “Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them” :-).
Are you one of among millions of fans of Whitney Houston? Well…I don’t claim myself as being one though I do enjoy some of her songs. I used to listen to some of her greatest hits especially “I Will Always Love You” which I consider one of her most ultimate vocal performances of all time. She stands among few singers in music history who possesses powerful voice and has the ability to move an audience with her voice and songs. She had acquired tremendous successful career in singing as well as acting during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. She has collected six Grammys and more than 400 other awards in her 25-year career. It’s like a Cinderella story with a happily ever after ending. She’s got beauty, talent, golden voice, fame and wealth. Many may wish for the money and fame of such pop star, thinking these things would mean a happier life. Who wouldn’t want money in today's crazy world where money is valued above all by many :-). Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way sometimes. “Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them”, once Leo Tolstoy had said.
Whitney Houston’s once brilliant career and life turned ugly as drugs and alcohol ravaged her. A combination of her troubled marriage to Bobby Brown, drugs, alcohol, and depression wrecked her career and life in general. On an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer in 2002, the diva said "The biggest devil is me. I’m either my best friend or my worst enemy". It seems that she had failed to reconcile herself with the enemy within. In the end, fame and wealth was unable to offer her happiness. The once confident and charismatic Whitney Houston waned into a sad shell. Drugs and depression had consumed her vital energy that finally claimed her life. The shocking news of Houston’s untimely death in her hotel room last Saturday at the age of 48 has taken public by surprise. She failed to battle the devil within.
Sadly, a story like Houston’s is familiar in the glamour of music industry. Chaka Khan said that “music industry is demonic.” The pressure and tension is just too much sometimes. There are countless superstars around the world including in Indonesia are in constant warring with drug and alcohol on daily basis. Many are in and out of rehab facilities. Elvis Presley died at 42 after years of drug abuse. Marilyn Monroe died at the age of 36 after an overdose of barbiturates. Kurt Cobain's drug addiction has supposedly led him to commit a suicide. Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan are recent young artists who get entangled with drug and alcohol addiction. In Indonesia, numerous celebrities suffer similar struggle. Some are jailed for drugs abuse such as Roy Marten, Yoyo Padi, Ahmad Albar, among others. Some are battling and win like the late Gito Rollies. Some are losing and surrender their life for it like the late beautiful Alda. Why would they waste all their brilliant career and life for drugs or alcohol? are they not happy?
Well, we do not for sure what drive those people to use drugs and alcohol. Perhaps, the pressure and tension they endure that steer their erratic behaviors. Perhaps, they need them to boost more power temporarily until they get trapped and unble to break free. Some, maybe, consume the demonic subtances in an attempt to mask their fears and problems, falsely believing that the substances offer safety and security. There are many reasons and excuses to answer of the 'why' questions. But, I think we all agree on one common ground that whatever choice they take in life, they hold responsible for the consequences. We write our own destiny and no one is to blame on any consequences resulted from our own choice.
Lesson learnt from this tragic reality is no amount of fame of fortune or money could bring happiness if you are not happy inside. For example, I think I will be happy if I could get back in my old workplace to have normal working hours, less tension and stress. That's what I think the kind of thing that will make me happy. But such feeling is only temporary. If I ever obtain such position again, who could say that I would be happy and content. It's a state of mind to think that happiness will come to our way once we get what we want. The same case applies to all the buzz with promotion and mutation at work. Sometimes, you get transferred into a workplace you despise, or sometimes you don't get the promotion you are after for. Then, you start to think "Oh, God, this isn't fair", and see happiness vanish from your life. Well, cursing will not help. Sometimes, we do not always get what we want in life. We all live under the same sky, but we don’t all have the same horizon. The best thing you can do is exploit the best things of anything and be grateful on what you have... trying to see everything in their bigger picture :-)... trying to find the beautiful golden strands in every line :-)
It is the nature of men to always want more than what we already have. Once, we get what we wish for, we start to desire other things in mind to satisfy our needs. So long as we don't enjoy and feel content on the things we have, we will never be happy. True happiness can only come from inside us, when each of us decides internally that we are happy. It’s a bit cliché but it mirrors truth. Neither a single person nor a single drug could offer you real happiness when inside you are unhappy. Be grateful and content on what you have now...then we perhaps may find happiness...do our best and let God do the rest :-)
So, “Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them” :-).
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